Method and apparatus for handling metal



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Patented Aug. .12, 1930' ROBERT '1. ROMINE, OI MOUNT CLEMENS, MICHIGAN Mn'rnon AND arrannrus non. niunnme METAL Original application filed August 10, 1928, Serial No.

' 1927. Serial This invention relates to a method and apparatus for. handling metal, such as sheet metal, at the mill. or other production source, and particularly concerns the forming and bindingof the metal into individual packs or units as the constituent sheets issue from the final operation at the mill, to be. placed in storage or shipped in carriers.- Moreover, the present invention relates to the handling of sheet metal in packs or units of such weight orcharacter as to render it im racticable or impossible to handle them by and without first breaking up the packs orunits and requiring the separate handling of the constit- 16 uent parts thereof. This invention is a division of the invention shown on and described P .in my co-pending application Serial No. 128,396 filed August 10, 1926, now patent No. 1,745,044, Jan. 28,1930. 4 g

An object of the invention is to provide an eificient and practicable method of handling sheet metal, togetherwith an improved a paratus for carrying out the method. at t e mill, or other production source, for the purposeof stacking the metal sheets as they issue from the final operation upon an improved buck or supporting device to form a ack or pile, of the desired size or weight, bin ing the pack into a unit and conveying it to destination, such for examplle as to a storage place on a freight car for s ipment. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved buck'or device for receiving and supporting the metal sheets as the issue from the final operation at the mil with the sheets maintained in an upright position at an incline to the vertical and resting on their edges, and to so construct the buck or device as to permit the ap Iication to the pack or pile of metal sheets w ile supported thereby of binding devices adapted to bind the constituent sheets to ether andmaintain them against relative displacement during the subsequent handling or shipment of the pack. g, v p r In accordance'with my presentinvention I provide, -.prefe'rably,; binderswhich are adjustable and fullyflexible to adapt them for use in, th'ebinding of packs of varyingsize's, and provide; certain of said binders with to exten 128,888. Divided and this application filed April 7, No. 181,885.

the binders may be provided withinserts of soft material which are adapted beneath the pack of metal sheets in engagement with the edges thereof to support the sheets and likewise assist in restricting the relativelg relative longitudinal movement. of the sheets. Other objects of'the invention will be ap- 'parent from the following description and appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate similarparts in the several views.

In the drawings:

or other hoisting medium, where- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved loading apparatus or buck with a pack of metal sheets being formed th'creu on.

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of a ound ack or bundle in position upon the buck of-F1g..1. i

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a completed or bound bundle. a Fig.- 4 is, a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 2'after the pack has been.

removed from the buck.

. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary the parts of one of the inders or bracing devices.

view illustrating one of the devices or enabling the pack or bundle to be lifted by means of the stack lifter or crane. V Fig. 7 is a'diag'rammatical .view showing the step of transferrin the buck to storage or e 'Fig.- 8 is a diagrammatical view showing one of the bound packs in position upon the storage warehouse floor and another pack bein transferred from the floor toa lift truc platform. a

'Fig. .9 is a diagrammatical plan view of sewhere.

.one preferred layout of a landing or loading perspective view of a 9 I Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail perspective I abound pack from platform into position within a freightcar. I

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of my improved stack lifter being transported-upon a lift truck.p1atform. r

. porting a pack of metal sheets after its rei so moval from the lift truck platform.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective of one end of the freight car with two packs or bundles of metal supported upon the floor thereof.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of one of the packs of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the action of the bracing devices or binders on the pack of sheets in the car.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, and the method or mode of operation embodiedtherein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practised or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims hereto appended or the requirements of the prior art.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 7 I have shown my imroved buck or loading apparatus which may e positioned at the mill in such manner that the sheets after the final operation may be handled by the workmen and placed in position upon the buck or loading device to be bound into packs or units while supported thereby.

The buck or loading platform is shown as a whole at X and comprises preferably, an

inclined base and an inclined back support a at right angles to the base so that when'the sheets forming the pack are placed upon the base, they will be canted or inclined at an angle to the vertical. The base may comprise a series of spaced wedge-shaped blocks or timbers 15 arranged in parallelism, and a lurality of channel bars 16 one of which is provided for each of the blocks 15 and' mounted thereupon. Four such blocks and channel bars are provided as shown in the drawings, although it is to be understood that any desired number of such members may be employed, dependent upon the par-.

ticular size of the sheets to be formed into a pack. Mounted upon each channel 16 is an upright channel post 17. the pairs of channels bein united together by means of an angle bar 18. Connected with each pair of channels 16 and 17 and serving to brace the same, is a gusset plate 19 secured to the channels 16 and 17 by means of rivets or the like 20. The upright channel bars are connected together at the top thereof by means of a metal bar 21, the bar and channels being riveted together. It will be seen thatthe pairs of channels are maintained in spaced relation and form an integral and rigid supporting table for the metal sheets constituting the pack S.

As the finished sheets issue from the ma-- chines or the finishing process at the mill, workmen place such sheets in position upon the spaced base channels 16, with the sheets resting on their edges and in an inclined position engaging the back supports or channels 17 The requisite number of sheets are placed upon the buck until a pack, such as the pack S, has been formed.

The next step of my method relates to the binding of the pack by means of suitable binding devices such' as shown at B.

The binding or clamping apparatus for the pack, in the present instance, may if desired comprise identical'sets of devices at opposite ends of the bundle or pack S, and in addition thereto a central device preferably located midway of the bundle. The end clamping devices or binders each comprises a pair of vertical clamping or lifting bars 25 and 26 one at each vertical side of the pack, these bars being preferablv constructed in the form of steel 1- beams. Riveted to the lower end of each bar 25 and 26 is a stirrup or strap 27 which comprises a steel bar riveted at the opposite ends thereof to opposite flanges of the I-bar and bent around the lower end of the bar in loop form to provide a pair of openings or pockets at the opposite sides of the bar. Loosely fitting into these openings or pockets and extending crosswise or transversely beneath the packare a pair of space parallel steel bars 28. Each bar 25 and 26 at its upper and lower ends is drilled to provide holes, and the bars of each pair are adjustably connected together by means of turnbuckles 29 extending transversely above and below the pack. Each turnbuckle has oppositely extending turnbuckle rods 30 which are threaded at their ends and extend through the holes in the upper andlower ends of the bars 25 and 26. By means of adjusting nuts'31 on the ends of the rods 30, the bars 25 and 26 at their upper and lower ends may be drawn together against the opposite sides of the pack so as to compress or squeeze the constituent sheets thereof together at each end. Where the pack is of different widths the turnbuckle may be first adjusted so as to approximate in length the width of the pack, and the final adjustment to tighten the bars against the pack is accomplished by means of the upper and lowill crane or stack lifter.. Each loop 'or sling 33v ever, engaging them; Secured to each bar 25 and 26 is a steel eye loop 33 by means of which the bundle, as hereinafter described, ma be lifted or lowered through the medium the with the holes 32 in the bars and 26, and it will be seen that the loopmay be adjustably secured at different heights to eachbar 25 and 26 by means of a pair of bolts and nuts 34 j extending through any of the pairs of holes 32.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the bars 25 and 26 of each set may be drawn together at the upper and lower ends thereof so as to squeeze or com ress the pack transverse- 1y adjacent each on thereof. Upon hoisting the pack by means of the .eye loops 33, the

weight of the pack will be sustained by the bars 25, 26 and 28, which are connected together through the medium of the steel stirrups, loops or straps 27. The lifting strain will be taken entirely by these elements, and none ofthe strain will be transmitted to the turnbuckle parts 29 and 30. I

The pack or bundle may also be clamped or bound intermediate the sets of bars 25 and 26 such as by means of a pair of vertical Lbeams or bars 40 and 41 positioned at opposite sides of. the bundle. These bars are connected together at the top and bottom thereof by means of turnbuckles 42, each having oppositely extending threaded rods 42 extending through any of a series of spaced holes 43 in each bar. It will be seen from this construction that the I-bars 40 and 41 may therefore be adjusted and clamped against the opposite faces of the sheets either by operating the turnbuckle proper or the adjusting nuts 44 on the outer ends of the turnbuckle rods 42,

the turnbuckles and adjusting nuts providing a compound adjusting means for the clamp or compression bars.

Bearing againstihe upper and lower edges of the sheets of the pack S are a pair of lengthwise "spaced wooden bars or members 45 and 46. The lower set of wood members 45 and 46 are of sufiicient thickness to sustain the weight of the sheets of the pack S and each upper and lower set of bars 45 and 46 is connected at opposite ends thereof to the bars 40 and 41 by means of clamps 47, four clamps being provided and each preferably identical in construction. The clamp 47 comprises a steel plate formed with opposite verticalside flanges 48, and the outer edge of the plate is slotted and formed with a recess 49, the metal being bent up to provide a vertical flange 50. The plate alt opposite sides'adjacent the base of the flange 50 is notched to provide recesses 51,, and the construction is such that the 1- 7 bars 40 and 41 will fit into the recess 49 with the flanges 40" or 41of the Lbars fitting into the notches 51 and embracing opposite edges of the late 50, the latter abutting against the centra web 4O or 41" ofthe I-bar. The ends of the wooden members 45 and 46 are confined between the flanges 48 and the opposite edges of the flange 50 and project at opposite sides of the I-bars 40 or 41. The flange portion 50 is provided with a vertical elongated slot 50 through which, freely passes one of the turnbuckle rods 42.

,The foregoing binding devices, comprising the members 40, 41, etc. with the transverse wood bars or members 45 and 46 positioned above and below the pack, are especially adapted for use in connection with the shipment of packs or bundles of metal in a carrier with the constituent sheets thereof resting on their edges, the wood bars or members serving to restrict the longitudinal displacement or movement of the constituent sheets when the carrier is in transit. This very desirable feature of my invention will be referred to more full hereinafter.

After the pack has been bound together as a unit and in such condition is resting upon the buck or loading ap aratus as shown in Fig. 7, to transfer such 'ound pack from its lposition u on the buck to the storage wareouse or e sewhere, it is simply necessary to move the hoist hook of a crane or other lifting mechanism V'into close proximity to the pack. The hoist hook is provided with a chain, the opposite ends of which are adapted to be engaged with the loops or eyes 33 at opposite sides of the pack. The pack is lifted from its inclined position upon the buck as shown in Fig. 7 in such manner as to swing the packfrom an inclined to a vertical position, and the pack may then be conveyed to storage as shown diagrammatically at the right of Figure 8. It will be seen that the bundle or pack S is resting upon the wood members\45 and 46 and that the lower edges of the sheets of the pack are maintained out of contact with the floor.

When it becomes desirable to transfer the bound packs of units from the storage warehouse to the'carrier or elsewhere, the crane is employed to again lift the bound pack or bundle and place it in position upon the lift platform L of an industrial truck T. This operation is shown diagrammatically in Figure 8. The hooks carried by the ends of the hoist chain are then disengaged from the eyes 33 whereupon the bundle or pack Smay be propelled by means of the lift truck T directly from the stora e warehouse across the landing or loading ock D and through the door E of a box car G and transferred from the lift truck platform L to the car floor by means of one of my improved stack lifters, shown at U in Figs. 9, 1O and 11, which has been previously positioned wlthin the freight car G.

Referring particularly to Figs. 10 and 11, it will be seen that my improved stack lifter U which is preferably constructed as shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 133,374 filed September 3, 1926, comprises an arched frame includin two spaced pairs of legs 60 and 61' whic are spaced apart suificiently to straddle a pack or bundle S and also to permit the truck platform L to be introduced therebetween as shown in Fig. 11. Each leg comprises a pair of spaced vertical structural members which are connected together at the lower ends thereof by means of a foot or bearing plate 62. Thus it will be seen that the four legs of the stack lifter are provided with a large bearing surface so that when positloned upon the car floor, the device is permitted to lift a ten ton pack or bundle of metal without the danger of breaking through the car floor. The legs at the upper ends thereof are united together by means of a superstructure 63 within which the hoistmgmechanism is carried, and the stack lifter is of a height to permit it to be propelled through the doorway E of the car.

The hoisting mechanism in general oomprises an electric motor and gear reductlon mechanism (not shown) mounted on the super-structure and connected to a central cross shaft 64 carrying a pair of small sprockets 65. Connected to these sprockets are oppositely extending sprocket chains 66 and 67 which are connected at their outer ends r'espectively torrelatively large sprockets 68 and 69. The sprocket 68 is secured to a cross shaft 70, and the sprocket 69 is semetal,

cared to a cross shaft 71. These shafts 70 and 71 each carr at opposite ends a pair of hoisting drums 2, each having a hoistin cable 73 operating through a sheave bloc 74 provided with a hook 75 adapted to be connected with the eyes or loops 33 of the bundle.

The power mechanism is provided with suitable controls for enabling the four hoisting drums to raise or .lower a bundle of and power is conducted to the electric motor of the stack lifter by means of conductors or cables 76 directl from the battery of the electric truck 1 (see Fig. 11). The stack lifter is provided with four swiveled casters 77 to permit the lifter to be wheeled or propelled within the freight car or elsewhere when a pack or bundle is 'not supported by the lifter. Each of these casters is carried by a revolving spindle, and by means of compression springs 78 of predetermined strength, the stack lifter without a load will be supported solely upon the casters. WVhen, however, a load is lifted or supported by means of the hoisting mechanism, the springs 78 and hence the casters will yield to permit the combined Wei ht of the stack lifter and load to be supported upon the legs 60 and 61 as shown in Fig. 11, thereby providing a substantial distribution of the load upon the floor and enabling loads such as ten tons in weight to be bodily lifted without breaking through the car floor. To prevent the casters 77 from turning and becoming jammed between the wall of the freight car and a pack or bundle, the casters may be locked against turning by means of lock bolts 79. The stack lifter U is also pro vided with two sets of swiveled or swinging dogs 80 to enable the truck platform L when introduced between the legs 60 and 61 to lift the stack lifter bodily on the truck platform. When the four dogs 80 are swung into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 10 so as to project inwardly over the truck platform L, said platform, when elevated by the power mechanism of the truck, will engage the bottom portions 80 of the dogs. Thus the stack lifter will be elevated from the floor by the truck and carried from point to point through the medium of the lifting dogs 80. The stack lifter U is preferably constructed substantially in the manner shown and described in my above mentioned co-pendin application.

From t e foregoing it will be seen that after the stack lifter U has been carried into the car by means of a lift truck platform L and lowered into position to be supported through the medium of its casters 77 upon the car floor, it may be rolled into position to straddle the floor space where it is de-' sirable to position, for transit, a bound pack or bundle S. At this stage of the method of loading the pack or bundle into the car, I place at predetermined spaced intervals transversely of the car floor, a series of wood bars or pallet members P which form the supporting means for the bound pack or bundle when it is positioned upon the car floor.

With the transverse members P of the pallet in their proper positions upon the car floor and with the legs of the stack lifter straddling the space upon which the bundle is to be positioned, a bound pack or bundle S is brought into the car upon the lift platform L of a truck and moved into position between the legs 60 and 61 of the stack lifter. The

stack lifter frame, and the hoisting mechaa nism further manipulated to lower the bound pack into position upon the car floor to be supported thereupon by means of the pallet members P. After the weight of the bundle ill] has been transferred to the pallet members P,

the hooks 75 are released from the bundle and the weight of the stack lifter is again trans ferred to its supporting casters 77. The stack I lifter is then rolled out so as to be free of the 45 and46 extending beneath'the pack are of-a vs'uflicient thickness, together with the clamps I 47 to fill the space between the car floor and the under side of the bundle at its intermediate portion. Therefore, it will be seen that the wood bars and 46 sustain a portion of the weight at the intermediate section of the pack, and that the weight ofthe pack upon the wood bars is suflicient to cause theconstit;

constituent sheets of v 41 have a slight clearance rock sli uent sheets to bite into the relatively soft bai s-causing a frictionalengagement and restrlcting longitudinal movement or displacement of the sheets. I v

I have found that when the freight car is subjected to' severe blows or shocks, t he tendency of the bundle or pack to move in the'c ar longitudinally'is not in astraight horizontal direction but rather the pack tends to rock or weave. One end of the pack will tend to lift slightly relatively to the'other end before shifting, longitudinally. With the sheets supported 0 edge, this shifting action is resisted by thg sheets biting or digging into the wood supports or pallet members P'and also by their engagement with the wood members 45 and 46 clamped to the under sideland top; of the bundleat itsintermediate portion by means of clamps 47 g Referring particularly toFig. 14," the rocking movement of the pack in one direction is 4 shown in dotted lines. Since the members 45 and 46 are spaced at opposite sides of the cen-" terof thepack, greater upward pressure will be exerted aga nst the member 46, for example, than the member'45, resulting in bind} ing or compressing the -.member 45 under great pressure against the upper edges of the file pack so that the sheets will not only em ed themselves'in the wood surface of the member 45 but also in the member 46, thereby resisting the tend ency of thepack to shift on the car floor. Due to the relatively soft character of the material, this actio will not result in'c 'mping the edges of the sheets. The bars 4 and at opposite sides in the recess 49 thus enabling the damp 47 to of'the turnbuckle 4 ghtly-aboutthe axis rod 42.

compensates for any weavin hrrocking action of-the" pack'resulting in an efiicient compressing action and 46 against the the car is sub% 7 From the edge in inclined planes,

- edge in' inclined planes,

final operation at a-mill, may be bound into packs and transferred to storage or to a carrier for shipment, in a comparatively simple 1 manner, with a minimum of labor, expense and handling costs, and that such bound packs or bundles may be shipped in the car,- rier and maintained in com act units during transit, without danger o damage to the sheets or damaging the freight car during transit, and that at destination the'packs or bundles are intact and may be removed as individual units without the necessity ofbreaking' up the packs and manually hanm the constituents parts thereof. v W atI claimisa I hLfiThe method of loading sheet metal on t e which-comprises supportingv the sheets of a pack to be bound with the sheets resting on conveying the pack with the sheets in upright positions into the car, and transferring the bound pack to the car floor with the sheets disposed on edge in vertical planes.

2, The method of loading sheet metal on the floor of a freight car for transportation, which comprises supporting the sheets of a pack to be bound with the sheets resting on conveying the pack with the sheets in upright positions into the car, transferring the bound pack to a supporting medium for the pack, and de siting the. pack by means of said supporting medium on the car floor with the sheets disposed on edge in. vertical planes.- 3. The method of loadin sheet metal in packs on the floor of a freig t car, for transoor of a freight car for transportation,

portation, which comprises supporting the l sheets of a pack after the sheets are stacked with the sheets resting on edge in inclined planes, conveying the bound pack with the sheets in upright positions to the car, transferring the bound pack to a lifting medium, and depositin the pack on the car floor by In testimony whereof I ROBERT'IYRO This limited relative movement 

